The bill creates the microgrids for community resilience grant
program (grant program) to be administered by the division of local government (division) in the department of local affairs (department), in collaboration with the Colorado resiliency office (office) in the division. A cooperative electric association or a municipally owned utility (utility)
may apply to the division for a grant award to finance the purchase of microgrid resources in eligible rural communities within the utility's service territory that are at significant risk of severe weather or natural disaster events and in which there are one or more community anchor institutions. The microgrids, which can be connected to or be disconnected from, and work independent of, the utility's electric grid, can increase an eligible rural community's resilience regarding any interruptions to the electric grid, such as those caused by severe weather or natural disaster events. On an annual basis, the division is required to report on the progress of the grant program, submit copies of the report to the house of representatives energy and environment committee and the senate transportation and energy committee, or their successor committees, and publish the report on the department's website.
